Attracted to pregnant women, Rigorist Priest Quoting Saints on Sexual Intimacy, & How Wendy Coped with Christopher’s “Cluelessness”| ACW398

Questions answered this episode:

1. How can you tell if you're looking at someone with lust or with proper reverence? I saw a beautiful woman during mass one day, and I just wanted to look at her and admire her beauty. But I feel like there's a fine line between awe and lust that I can't quite pinpoint. Or another example: for some reason, I find a woman's pregnancy attractive. But am I looking at them just for pleasure or with awe of the fact that they have another life within them?
2. I’m struggling with scrupulosity around marital intimacy and differing opinions among Catholics about what is permissible. I came across a rigorous podcast by a priest imposing strict boundaries using Saint Alphonsus and Saint Thomas Aquinas. His guidelines are much stricter than what most modern theologians teach. I'm confused, afraid, and feel my soul is on the line. As a traditional Catholic, I worry it’s safer to follow the more rigorous opinion, though I’d rather take the simpler, more enjoyable approach. How do I know what is right, approach the marriage bed without fear, and be confident that modern theologians are safe to follow?
3. Just yesterday, I listened to your testimony on the podcast Restore the Glory, where you talked about sexual healing and your growth in loving your wife Wendy better. It was such a blessing for me. While I was listening, I wondered what Wendy's side of the story was, how she lived and felt in those first 10 years of your marriage, how she struggled, how she realized you didn't have a clue, and mostly, how she coped to love you deeply, rightly, and truly, even though she felt immense hunger for your true love. So, Wendy, could you please share your side of the story?

Catholic Sexual Ethics Course In Person

Catholic Sexual Ethics Course On-Line

Restore the Glory Episode with Christopher Episode 42

Restore the Glory Episode with Christopher Episode 43

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Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II’s beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.

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